MMA Fighter Fakes Death

Mixed martial arts promoters Christos Piliafas and Scott DiPonio were shocked to learn that one of their fighters was a suspect in the holdup of a Michigan gun shop this week.

After all, it was only two weeks ago that they raised more than $1,000 to help the amateur heavyweight’s family pay for his funeral.

Charles Rowan, 25, didn’t die in a February car wreck while en route to his fifth bout, as his girlfriend, Rosalinda Martinez, claimed that night, according to DiPonio. The couple and a friend, Michael Bowman, were in a Gladwin courtroom Friday to hear the charges against them: armed robbery and assault with intent to murder. Each requested a court-appointed attorney.

“[He] came and looked me right in the eyes and took the cash and cried and came to my house and stayed the night,” DiPonio said.

Rowan, Martinez and Bowman were arraigned Friday in Gladwin District Court. They are scheduled to appear in court again April 1 and remain in the county jail, having not posted bond.

According to Gladwin County Sheriff Michael Shea, Martinez called 911 after the robbery and told investigators that she, too, had been attacked. But he said her story didn’t hold up and she, Rowan and Bowman were arrested.

“I thought for sure Charlie was dead. I mean, these people were hysterically crying,” said DiPonio, who gave the family $150 for expenses on the spot.

Two weeks ago, Piliafas and DiPonio helped raise $1,350 in proceeds and donations through their benefit event, Fight for Charlie.

A tearful Bowman showed up to collect the money.

Meanwhile, Piliafas and DiPonio are planning to file a fraud claim against Rowan with the Grand Traverse County sheriff’s office.

“I want to press charges to the fullest extent,” Piliafas said. “For them to do that, just makes me sick.”

Looking back, Piliafas said that even though some initially questioned Rowan’s death, not much could be done about those concerns.

“I had people saying this was a little bit fishy. There was no obit. There was no funeral service. But in that situation, you want to be sensitive to the family,” he said. “I didn’t know exactly how to handle it. I didn’t want to go off and say, ‘We’re not doing this. Something’s not right,’ and then have the incident having really happened.”

He was dumb for faking his death, but the people who belived he was dead were even dumber.